Saletan. An older, traditional version, titled "Row Michael Row," was later collected in the Sea Islands by folklorist Guy Carawan. The American folk quintet the Highwaymen had a #1 hit in 1961 on both the pop and easy listening charts in the U.S. with their version, under the simpler title of "Michael", recorded and released in 1960. The Highwaymen's arrangement reached #1 for three weeks on Top 40 radio station WABC in New York City in August 1961, and for two weeks in September 1961 on Billboard's Top 40 nationally, remaining in the top ten into October. This recording also went to #1 in the United Kingdom. Billboard ranked the record as the No. 3 song of 1961. Out of respect for the original, unknown authors of the song, Saletan kept his royalties from the Highwaymen's hit in escrow "seeking some good use for it." The Highwaymen version that went to #1 on the Billboard charts had these lyrics: Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah. Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah. Sister help to trim the sail, hallelujah. Sister help to trim the sail, hallelujah. Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah. Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah. The River Jordan is chilly and cold, hallelujah. Chills the body but not the soul, hallelujah. Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah. Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah. The river is deep and the river is wide, hallelujah. Milk and honey on the other side, hallelujah. Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah. Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah. The recording begins and ends with one of the singers whistling the tune a cappella, later accompanied by simple instruments, in a slow, ballad style. All the Highwaymen sang and harmonized on the Michael lines but individual singers soloed for each set of additional lyrics. This version differs from the Pete Seeger/Tony Saletan version by changing "meet my mother on the other side" to "milk and honey on the other side." "Milk and honey" is a phrase used in the Book of Exodus during Moses' vision of the burning bush. The original Negro spiritual mentions the singer's mother but the hit version does not. Lonnie Donegan reached #6 in the UK Singles Chart with his cover version in 1961. Harry Belafonte recorded a popular version of it for his 1962 Midnight Special album. Pete Seeger included it in his Children's Concert at Town Hall in